‘Rallies for Change’ to push for better funding for all levels of BC education
Posted September 9, 2014 7:10 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – As the teachers’ strike drags on, “Rallies for Change” are being planned in communities across the province every day this week, pushing for better funding for education at all levels in BC.
The goal is to hold rallies in 60 communities starting tomorrow — though two are set to go ahead today at the Legislature and in Nanaimo — drawing together parents, unions and supporters.
Organizers want people to gather in parks on Wednesday, wearing red to support teachers.
“It’s a matter of trying to get it away from the schools,” says Sean Beebe, a shop teacher in Penticton.
“This is becoming more than just about the schools, more than just about the teachers. It’s about our education system at large. We need to take a second look at how the government is choosing to fund education through all ages, right up to post-secondary,” he tells News1130.
They plan to take the rallies to MLAs offices on Thursday and outside local courthouses on Friday.
“The courts have issued a decision to the government and they’ve allowed for an appeal and that’s fine. But the courts need to know that the education system is very important and they need to back up those decisions,” says Beebe.
So far, only about a dozen coordinators have been confirmed in different communities, but Beebe is hopeful many more will step forward over the coming days with ongoing rallies planned next week.
